Swiping Right
by wordslinger
Summary: At the behest of a very concerned best friend Erza creates an online dating profile. The results are... mixed. Jerza. Various background pairings. Complete.
1. Chapter 1

**_Author's Note:_** ** _This is centered around a fictional dating app called Spark.  
_**

* * *

"Aw, come on, Erza! It's not going to kill you. I _know_ you're curious."

"Curiosity is fine in theory, Mira, but often in practice it leads to a mess." Erza locked her phone and slid it back into her pocket.

Mirajane sighed dramatically. "I suppose even downloading the app is a big step for you." She smirked and sipped her coffee. "By the time you get around to creating a profile and uploading pictures you'll need to take all new ones because your hair will be grey."

"I won't apologize for being cautious! The anonymity of the internet makes people terrifyingly bold."

"I'll concede to that point, sure, but Erza-" Mirajane pulled her friend gently by the elbow to a park bench. "Sweetie, you're not happy. You aren't."

Erza frowned and picked at the seam of her jeans. "I'm fine."

"Fine isn't the same as happy." Mirajane reached out to tuck a strand of red hair behind her friend's ear. "Tell you what, let's make a deal. You try Spark for three months and if you don't have at least one positive experience, I swear I'll lay off the online dating subject."

"Define positive experience."

Mira laughed. "Let's not bother with details, Erza!" The chirping of her phone distracted interrupted the conversation and Mirajane stood to toss her empty cup into the garbage can. "I've got to get back to the restaurant. Apparently a shipment of broken glasses needs my attention."

Erza rose off the bench and embraced her well-meaning but _pushy_ friend. "Fine, fine. I guess I should get back to work, as well."

"Promise me you'll get online tonight. Pick up some wine on the way home, and get out there. I bet in a week's time you'll have a line of men waiting for your approval."

"I don't need a _line of men_ , Mira, just one."

"Well, you won't have _any_ if you don't get swiping!" Mirajane rushed off back to work and Erza decided to take her time returning to her own place of business. She had three wedding cakes to do before Friday and it would take a miracle to get them all finished on time. Mirajane said three months. Who would notice if she started the timer today but didn't take action until the weekend?

* * *

It was Sunday before Erza collapsed onto her couch with the recommended glass of wine. She loved her bakery and the happiness a perfectly designed cake brought to her customers, but weddings and baby showers always sent her heart into a downward spiral. The desperate way she wished for such milestones of her own made her feel even more pathetic and hopeless.

The previous summer Mirajane had signed her up for a speed dating event that ended in embarrassing tragedy. Erza often experienced bouts of social anxiety and large groups of people made her nervous. The crowd of men and women swirling around the dimly lit restaurant made her palms sweat and head throb. She'd ended up excusing herself to the restroom, and sneaking out a side door. At the very least a dating app on her phone afforded her a level of control a group setting didn't.

She took a sip from the wineglass and reached for her phone. The Spark thumbnail was a corny red flame and Erza rolled her eyes as she tapped it open. Almost immediately she wanted to call the whole effort a loss when Spark wanted to connect with her other social media. The last thing she needed was for her small group of friends to realize the depths of her loneliness. Of course Mirajane's proclivity for matchmaking was no secret, but Erza didn't want to broadcast her love life – or lack thereof – to the online world.

Powering through her irritation she quickly selected the pictures she would allow Spark to utilize, and proceeded to the next step. By the time she'd completed the tedious task of self-essays her wine bottle was half empty. With a sigh of dissatisfaction she looked over her profile.

"Erza Scarlet. Baker and spinster. That'll bring them in _for sure_." She closed the app and polished off the cabernet before falling into bed.

* * *

Mondays were her favorite. She could sleep in and actually enjoy her expensive mattress for its qualities by choice and not because she was so exhausted she couldn't stay vertical any longer.

Erza blindly reached out from under the comforter for her phone on the end table. She blinked in confusion at the number of Spark notifications. Her profile was a skeleton of half answered questions! How could anyone have possibly had the time or inclination to message her? She groaned loudly as she shuffled through the messages.

 _To: Titania_

 _From: ArchiveOfLove_

 _Hey gorgeous. Wanna chat?_

 _To: Titania_

 _From: DrunkenFalcon_

 _Pretty eyes! Let's get a drink sometime._

 _To: Titania_

 _From: PowerParfume_

 _Beautiful Titania, your tantalizing scent of sugar and everything sweet scandalizes me. Let's bake beautiful cakes together. I long to warm my batter in the depths of your oven._

She didn't even bother to read the remainder of the messages after the one about _batter_ in her _oven_. The lot of them were deleted en masse, but not before Erza snapped a capture of PowerParfume's attempt at romance. _That_ gem was sent to Mirajane in a text.

 _Erza: Happy now?_

 _Mirajane: LOL_

 _Erza: That's all you have to say to me? I've been traumatized. On my day off, too._

 _Mirajane: Oh, chin up, Erza. You can't make a good batter without cracking a few eggs._

 _Erza: Do not make batter jokes at me ever again._

 _Mirajane: Aw, I'm sorry. Come by for lunch. You can have a drink on me._

Erza tossed the phone aside and hid under the blankets again. Why did she ever agree to this?


	2. Chapter 2

Though Erza considered June and August through October to be her bread and butter months, that didn't mean she enjoyed them. The end result – happy clients, new clients, numbers going from red to black – was all fine and good, but _weddings_ were _exhausting_. In one week she could have as many as five to seven multi-tiered cakes as well as her typical fare of various pastries. Usually she brought in a third assistant to help out with all the extra work. She let her delivery driver, Natsu, hire his own team because she trusted him to handle her creations properly. He, Gray, and Lucy had been with her since she'd opened the bakery five years prior and even in the worst of times she hadn't been willing to let any of them go. They always made do.

Her newest employee, Levy, was a smallish girl and initially Erza'd had her doubts she could hold her own in the hectic environment of her kitchens. Over the last few weeks, though, Levy had proven herself. Besides her sweet and charming way with even the most stressful of brides, Levy was a talented sculptor. She handled molding chocolate like a pro. When asked how she'd come by such a skill Levy's cheeks flushed and she admitted art school hadn't panned out the way she'd expected. Erza was only grateful she'd managed to find such an adept person as it opened the doors for more intricate designs.

The evenings in Magnolia were becoming less balmy and ever chillier as August drew to a close. It had been two months since Mirajane bullied her onto Spark, and Erza tried to tell herself she was relieved that nothing had come of it. It almost embarrassed her that she'd taken the time to answer so many personality questions. Some of them served only to raise her eyebrows.

 _Do you feel you have a social obligation to shave your legs?_

 __Yes_

 __No_

 _Do you believe that a man should be the head of the household?_

 __Yes_

 __No_

 _In a certain light wouldn't nuclear war be exciting?_

 __Yes_

 __No_

Nevertheless, Erza answered hundreds of such questions. Mostly while under the influence of a cheap bottle of wine. She didn't take the situation seriously enough to apply more than a buzzed effort. The messages she received on a daily basis justified her lack of respect for the system. The only person who'd contacted her more than once was the incredibly creepy _PowerParfume_ , who acted as if they were in an established relationship already. Never mind that she'd never actually responded to his increasingly odd communiqués.

As the three month mark approached, Erza couldn't help the hard knot of disappointment that lodged itself in her stomach. She didn't want to admit she'd been hoping, however faintly, for what Mira had called a _positive experience_. Fantasies of meeting someone she could allow herself to fall for had managed to sneak in without her permission, and she'd began to indulge. The harsh reality remained, though, that she was alone and it was starting to look like even the arena of online dating held no magic for her. A depression took hold before she even noticed it was there.

Usually wedding season didn't pass without at least one enraged bride screaming her ear off about a dissatisfactory cake. So when Erza walked out into the storefront carrying a tray of cookies to find Levy near tears with the phone receiver several inches from her ear, she simply sighed and held her hand out for the phone. Levy looked at Erza helplessly, shaking her head.

"Here, Levy, I'll take it," She whispered.

"But –"

"It's fine. Go help Lucy roll out some fondant." Levy smiled gratefully but Erza saw her swallow back frustrated tears.

" _Are you even listening to me, Miss?_ " The angry woman on the other end of the phone screeched.

"Minerva, right? This is Erza, and I'm the owner of the bakery. I apologize for the mix up." Erza glanced over the notes Levy had scratched on the pad of order forms they kept near the phone. "I understand you're upset about the groom's cake, and I assure you the situation has already been rectified. There's-"

" _Rectified?!_ My reception starts in thirty minutes and this… _thing_ is still on the table here. How can you call this rectification?"

Erza waved wildly at Natsu who happened to wander into the lobby. He'd snatched a cookie and guiltily gulped it down. Minerva continued to voice her anger as Erza jotted the address for the reception hall onto a scrap of paper. She covered the mouthpiece with her free hand.

"I need you to grab that chocolate strawberry cake from the back cooler and get it to Northwood Hall in the next twenty minutes. Can you do that?" She whispered harshly. "I fucked up your route earlier and the wrong cake is at the wrong place!"

"I don't know, I'm kinda on lunch, Erza –" Natsu trailed off at the downright murderous glare she fixed him with. "But I suppose I could just eat in the truck. Chocolate strawberry, back cooler. Got it!" He grabbed the scrap of paper and disappeared.

"Minerva, my driver has already been rerouted and will be there very shortly. I promise you that when your guests arrive everything will be perfect."

"It had better be! _This is my day!"_ The woman promptly hung up. Erza slouched against the counter and forced her lurking and unwanted emotions back. The very angry Minerva seemed to be a tipping point and, like Levy, she felt on the verge of hot tears.

Levy apologized no less than three times before they closed the shop that evening. Erza squeezed her shoulder and reminded her that _she_ was the one to blame for the situation as she pushed everyone out the door. Only Lucy remained.

"You okay, Erza?"

"Huh?" She glanced up from the pile of invoices she'd been carding through. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine. It's just been a day."

"You've been… I don't know… _off_ lately." Lucy gently placed her shoulder bag on the table. "Even Mira is worried."

"Oh, you know Mira. She's always been a bit of a busybody."

"Erza –" She paused and leaned into the tabletop. "We've been friends for a long time. You and Mirajane are pretty much the closest thing I've ever had to sisters, and don't think I can't tell when something's up with you."

Erza's eyes closed for a brief second before she plastered a smile on for Lucy. "I promise I'm fine. You know how wedding season gets to me. I'm just stressed out and there's a never ending pile of work." She sighed heavily and swallowed hard. "That woman on the phone today just irritated me more than I thought."

Lucy didn't say anything and Erza squirmed under her gaze. "For the record, I don't believe you." She grabbed her bag and slung it over her head. "But, it _has_ been a shitty day. So I'll let it go. _For now_."

"I'm really okay. Just tired." Her smile was only half-hearted. Lucy already knew she wasn't _okay_ , so there wasn't a point in keeping up the act. "Go on and get out of here. Natsu is going to start eating his own arms off if you don't feed him soon."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Ugh, probably. I'll see you tomorrow."

Erza waited until the kitchen was silent to sink to the floor. Her tears flowed freely and she hated every one of them. The overwhelming sense of inadequacy confused her and that confusion made the low even lower. Being yelled at by an angry client wasn't anything new – though Natsu claimed the woman had been all smiles and gratitude when the correct cake had been delivered – so why the upset?

 _Because you're alone now, and you'll be going home to an empty apartment. There's nothing in your fridge but leftover cake and wine. You have a bed that remains half-empty, and the only man who seems to find you remotely interesting is a delusional weirdo on the internet._

Erza choked out a bitter laugh and wiped her tears on the nearest apron. Damp flour smeared across her face. _Perfect_. She didn't bother to gather the dirty aprons or tidy her stack of invoices before locking up the bakery and leaving.

* * *

"I should get a cat." Erza said out loud to no one. She tossed the used cake box over the edge of her bed and set aside the empty wine bottle. She giggled and reached for her phone. "I'll put that on my profile. _Likes cats_."

Once she had the Spark app opened though, second thoughts rolled in. The last thing she wanted was to open the door for potential _pussy_ jokes. The _birthday cakes_ comments were bad enough. She deleted the three messages in her inbox and started to flip through profiles of men situated geographically close to her. Magnolia wasn't a small town, but it wasn't the metropolis Crocus was. Her choices would run out eventually, she supposed. Erza leaned back against her pillows and rapidly swiped left.

 _No, no, nope, no, never… wow._

If she'd been any more intoxicated she'd have passed him. Her thumb hovered over the man's picture. He was handsome and his grin had an appealing awkward charm that made her smile despite herself.

"Oh, what the hell…" she muttered before tapping the heart next to his screen name and swiping right That night Erza dreamed of ultramarine hair, and a red tattoo that swirled around a set of smiling green eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

Erza brushed her sandwich crumbs into a napkin and leaned back in her office chair as she absent-mindedly sipped from her water bottle. She was staring at the man's face. _Again_. Spark wasn't something she thought about at work, and she'd certainly never messed with it during business hours. Partly because she considered herself a professional, but mostly because she'd have been mortified if anyone had caught her browsing available men. It was bad enough she couldn't be around Mira without a barrage of questions but if _Lucy_ found out… Erza cringed just thinking about such a disaster.

He called himself _Mystogan_ and she'd glanced at his profile no less than three times since waking up that morning. His self-essays were as sparse as her own, but she remembered how horrible she'd been writing them and decided there was no point in judging his paragraphs for anything other than basic grammar – which appeared to be flawless. He'd uploaded five pictures, and each one made her feel giddy. But out of those five only one had commanded her attention more than the others.

A sizable tree grew behind him, and the photo had obviously been taken in the spring. The low hanging branches dripped with pink blossoms in the background. He smiled naturally and looked genuinely happy. Those observations, however, weren't what snagged her eye. His arms – nice, thick arms she'd noted – were bent upwards, and his hands were securing a small pair of legs to his shoulders. The bright pink leggings with a pattern of hearts told her the small person perched on him was a child, a girl assumedly. It was impossible to confirm her guess because the picture had been cropped.

His profile said nothing about a child, but she didn't think that meant much. If she were a single mother looking for love on the internet, she doubted she'd want to advertise every part of her life. Raising a child by one's self probably left a lot of questions open that maybe he didn't want to answer before getting to know a person. Without considering the action, Erza snapped a screenshot of the picture and opened it in her photo album to zoom in on the tattoo that marked the right side of his face. The quality of the photo was poor, but she was thoroughly intrigued by the design.

"Yo! Erza! I'm heading out now, do you have my route?" Natsu burst into her office. She jumped in surprise and the phone clattered to the concrete floor.

" _What?_ God, Natsu, can you knock?"

He raised his eyebrows and stepped into the office fully. "Knock? Why? What are you doing in here?"

"Because it's my office! _And nothing!_ I'm not doing anything!" Erza knew she was flustered and behaving strangely. She reached down for her phone.

"Whatever. I won't tell anyone you were looking at porn on your phone. It's cool." He smirked and reached for the papers on the edge of her desk. "Is this my route?"

" _I wasn't looking at porn!"_ Her face felt hot and even though she hadn't been looking at anything lewd, Natsu's accusation struck a nerve.

" _Sure,_ Erza."

"Take your stupid route, and go."

Natsu grabbed the printed list and laughed his way out of her office and back into the kitchens. She burned with embarrassment and grumbled that she'd have to be more careful about her phone while at work.

* * *

Later that evening Erza stirred a pan of steaming red sauce as she glanced over her email inbox. She'd decided a proper dinner was in order - the kind of dinner that didn't consist of leftovers from Mirajane's kitchen or half-stale cake from her own. It was an attempt to feel more like an adult and less like a zombie. Her culinary skills extended well beyond pastry, even if they went underutilized.

As she scrolled through the unorganized mess of personal emails a notification from Spark popped up and her hand jerked so much that she sloshed marinara over the side of the pan. Erza licked the spot of sauce off her thumb and wiped the mess from the stovetop before cautiously opening Spark. She'd never been looking at her phone the moment a message came through.

"Oh…" Erza gasped when she saw _Mystogan's_ name in her inbox. Despite being completely alone her cheeks flushed and she felt oddly bashful.

 _To: Titania_

 _From: Mystogan_

 _Hi there. Perhaps it's forward of me to message you out of the blue but I don't get a lot of traffic on my profile and I noticed you liked it. I just thought maybe you'd like to chat for a bit? This is awkward, and I'm sorry. Introductions aren't my best skill set._

The sizzling of overflowing pasta water tore her eyes from the screen of her phone. Erza squealed before grabbing the pot to quickly drain the water. Her stomach growled ferociously and out of hunger and extreme shyness she opted to eat before returning _Mystogan's_ message. He'd used the word _chat_ and she wasn't sure if she should try the IM function. It seemed more intimate somehow. Erza sucked in a deep breath and downed the remaining cabernet in her glass. His indicator was green.

 _Titania: Hi! I'd love to chat!_

Did that sound too desperate? She hoped it didn't.

 _Mystogan: Hey! I'm glad you didn't find my message too ridiculous. I was worried._

 _Titania: No, it's okay. You don't even rank in the top five most forward men who've contacted me in the last two months._

 _Mystogan: I don't get a lot of messages, but I've heard some horror stories. I apologize on behalf of my fellow men._

 _Titania: Eh, don't worry about it. I promise I won't hold you responsible._

Erza stripped off her dirty work clothes, and pulled on a soft camisole. She climbed into bed and hid under the blankets. It felt strange to be carrying on a conversation with a man she'd never met while half-dressed and in bed.

 _Mystogan: I'll admit I'm impressed by your career essay. Owning one's own business is a huge accomplishment!_

 _Titania: Some days it feels more like a punishment but thank you!_

 _Mystogan: I have a weakness for chocolate pastry. Not very manly, I'm sure, but there it is._

 _Titania: Knowing what you like is manly in itself! Pastry is for everyone, even the masculine. What is it that you do? Is it okay for me to ask that? I couldn't really tell just by reading over your profile._

 _Mystogan: I've been serving in the Magnolia Police Dept. since I turned twenty._

 _Titania: Oh wow! That's got to be an exciting job!_

 _Mystogan: It's alright. My dad was a cop, and now I'm a cop. I guess it was a legacy thing. I don't hate it, though. I just wish I could be home more often._

 _Titania: I can understand the toil of work/life balance._

He didn't respond for a moment, and Erza yawned. She didn't want to go to sleep yet, even if they'd only been discussing trivial things.

 _Mystogan: I guess it's as good a time as any to tell you that I have a daughter. She's 4 and I have her all the time. I don't want it to be a problem later._

 _Mystogan: …_

 _Mystogan: Not that I'm assuming there will be a "later"! I just wanted to put that out there._

 _Titania: I kind of guessed already that you had a little girl. The bright pink leggings gave it away._

 _Mystogan: Ah. My sister took that picture at the Cherry Blossom Festival last year. She made me crop the picture before uploading it. I don't like hiding things, but she insisted it was obvious._

 _Titania: It didn't come off as you hiding anything at all. I was worried you might have thought me a stalker for noticing such a thing._

 _Mystogan: Ha! No. The leggings are pretty… loud._

 _Titania: They're cute. I remember being a girly-girl once too._

Erza paused. She felt a little more secure in the conversation and her wine buzz was making her bolder.

 _Titania: …and I wouldn't mind if there was a "later"_

 _Mystogan: Yeah? I think I'd like that. Maybe tomorrow, though? I've got an early shift in the morning and I'd hate to just drop off on you._

 _Titania: Tomorrow is fine. I've had a killer of a day and should probably get some sleep, too. I generally take Sundays and Mondays off._

 _Mystogan: Until tomorrow, then. I enjoyed chatting with you_

 _Titania: Me too._

 _Titania: I mean! I enjoyed chatting with you too. I don't chat with myself._

 _Titania: … I should just go to bed._

 _Mystogan: Haha! I got it ;) goodnight then._

 _Titania: Goodnight_

 _Mystogan's_ indicator turned red, and Erza tossed her phone aside. She sighed loudly and realized she was grinning like a school girl. She decided to keep this new development a secret from Mirajane otherwise her friend would start planning the wedding before she even learned the man's real name.


	4. Chapter 4

Even though she typically reserved Sunday and Monday as off days, Saturday nights were depressing. Sometimes she would swing by Mirajane's restaurant but around eleven o'clock the kitchen shut down and the place turned into more of a night-spot. Mira's boyfriend, Laxus, would usually keep the doors open until two in the morning but Erza never stayed that late. Semi-dark rooms filled with strangers was not her scene at all.

"Hey, Erza, are you coming with us to _Fairy Tail_ tonight? Saturday nights mean three-dollar margaritas!" Lucy leaned against her office door frame.

"I don't think so. I'm really tired and this week has just ruined me. Maybe next week?"

Lucy narrowed her eyes and put one hand on her hip. "Just so you know the only reason I'm letting you off the hook is because you're in a better mood than yesterday."

"I appreciate your concern and the reprieve," Erza laughed and glanced up at her friend. "I'm really just very tired."

"Alright then. I only get in your space because I care."

"I know you do, Lucy, and it means a lot to me to hear you say so." Lucy finally left her alone in her office and Erza quickly signed off on the remaining orders. She wanted to go home and soak in the tub. Nothing sounded more appealing… minus the possibility of hearing from _Mystogan_ again. Although, she didn't expect him to contact her on a Saturday night – he probably had plans. Or would he be at home with his daughter? He'd said he had her all the time which meant he didn't share custody with anyone. Erza knew none of these things were her business.

She didn't want to pin all her hopes on this man she'd never even met. It was foolish and would only set her up for heartbreak later. Her history with men was patchy at best. The few relationships she'd been in since college ended spectacularly with accusations like: _Why are you so closed off? I can't ever get close to you!_ And, her personal favorite: _Are you really choosing your business over me?_

It wasn't that Erza didn't know how to have a relationship or couldn't appreciate one once she was in it; her problem was the unknown. All throughout childhood, she'd made her own way. Her parents had both died before her tenth birthday and the foster system left her floating from one home to another with no constants. Granted none of her foster families had abused or neglected her in any way, but the security of relying on no one but one's self wasn't ever possible until she'd come of age.

The struggle to open her own bakery and still pay off her student loans before she turned thirty was something she focused on with an isolating singularity. It was that singularity that kept her from keeping a lover for longer than a few months. The last man she'd been with was three years behind her. Which is why Mirajane insisted it was time for her to relax and find a companion. Erza didn't disagree. Business was decent and she wasn't under too high of a mountain of debt, but even at the age of twenty-seven she still felt that twinge of anxiety when thoughts of introducing a new element to her life permeated her walls.

* * *

As Erza sank beneath the surface of the soapy water and allowed the bubbles to tickle her chin, she contemplated why _Mystogan_ didn't feel threatening. Perhaps it was because he had his own life? A child? A secure career that didn't involve her? His profile indicated he was two years older than her which gave an impression of maturity.

Her phone chirped from its place on the edge of the tub. Erza's heart caught in her throat. The notification on her lock screen confirmed her surge of excitement. She opened the Spark app.

 _Mystogan: Am I interrupting anything? Do you have time to talk?_

 _Titania: Nope! I'm in the bath actually and all yours._

 _Titania: Er, I didn't mean for it to come out that way. Sorry. It sounded better in my head._

 _Mystogan: Haha! It's okay. How was your day?_

It had been a long time since a man asked her how her day went. The idea that he was actually interested made her feel warm and squishy inside.

 _Titania: Long, to be honest. As exciting as it sounds there's nothing I'd rather be doing right now than sitting in the tub._

 _Mystogan: That bad, huh?_

 _Titania: Well, it's wedding season. Brides can be trying._

 _Mystogan: I remember my sister's wedding. She was a nightmare. I don't think anyone made it through that day without some scarring._

 _Titania: I'm grateful it's only four months out of the year that run me so ragged. What about your day? Exciting times on the streets of Magnolia keeping the peace?_

 _Mystogan: Hate to burst your bubble, but I'm a Lieutenant. It's been a good minute since I've been out on the streets. I mostly delegate and do all the work my Captain doesn't feel like handling. But I wouldn't mind if you imagined me doing more exciting things!_

 _Titania: I'm picturing you apprehending criminals and saving small children from vicious kidnappers._

 _Mystogan: Maybe in your fantasy I could have a cape? I've always wanted a cape._

 _Titania: Done. You can't take it back now._

 _Mystogan: I wouldn't dream of it. I'm flattered you imagine me at all. I didn't think a woman as beautiful as you would waste your time on a messy guy like me._

Erza stepped from the bath and wrapped herself with a towel. She wanted to believe that the pink on her skin was only from the hot water, but it was a ridiculous lie.

 _Titania: I think it's safe to say that everyone has messy bits. Until two hours ago I had flour under my fingernails and in my hair._

 _Mystogan: And I bet it was adorable. The next time you have flour on your nose, I want to see it. You have amazing hair, by the way._

 _Titania: Thank you. And don't sell yourself short. You outrank me in the attractiveness department._

 _Mystogan: You're a terrible liar, but it's sweet of you to say so._

 _Titania: I only lie about carbs and calories. Good cake shouldn't ever be broken down so heartlessly._

 _Mystogan: That's a great philosophy. I'm more of a pie man myself._

 _Titania: I'm going to insist that's because you've never had good enough cake, but pie has its own virtues. Maybe one day you'll luck out and I'll get you some Pain au Chocolat._

 _Mystogan: You're saying all the right things. I'm yours._

 _Mystogan: Would it be too much to ask for your real name?_

 _Titania: Only if you tell me yours, too. It's Erza._

 _Mystogan: I'm glad you found me, Erza. I'm Jellal._

After they'd both signed off Erza lay in bed staring at the ceiling. She didn't understand how a man she'd only spoken to in chat had so quickly found a place amongst her thoughts. All the rules she'd imposed on herself had quickly fizzled as they'd dipped their toes into flirtatious waters. She shoved her phone under the pillows and admitted she liked him.


	5. Chapter 5

Erza ran through her checklist again as she inspected the contents of the delivery van. The party was a last minute catering job and she would have to make the run herself with only Lucy to help out. Natsu was still across town and Gray had to stay behind to run the retail front of the bakery. Only Levy would be in the kitchen.

"I think that's all of it!" Lucy called from the passenger seat. "Let's get this over with."

"I feel like we're forgetting something," Erza mumbled as she slid behind the steering wheel.

"You're only saying that because this was so rushed. You can't screw up two sheet cakes, and cookies."

"I know, I know." She started up the van and backed out of the ally. "I wasn't planning on going out like this today."

"It'll be fine. It's not like Natsu looks pretty when he does deliveries." Lucy shrugged. "But he doesn't wear an apron, though."

"Oh, damn it! Remind me to take it off when we get out of the van, will you? I _knew_ I was forgetting something!"

Lucy laughed and switched on the radio. The drive would only be ten minutes, but Erza was grateful for the distraction. Lately it seemed that every spare moment she had her mind went right to Jellal. They'd been chatting almost every night for two weeks, but he hadn't made any direct requests to meet in person. They'd both made some off-handed comments about it, but Erza wasn't sure how she felt about the next step. She didn't want him to grow bored, but what if they met and all the chemistry fizzled out? Then she'd be back to square one and her evenings would return to the lonely monotony they had been before she'd found him.

"Erza!" Lucy's voice ripped her from the vicious cycle of anxiety.

"Hm? What?"

"We're here." She opened her door. "Don't forget to take off your apron, Madam Space Cadet!"

Erza sighed and left the apron on the front seat. She and Lucy loaded the cakes and most of the cookies onto a wheeled cart and rolled them into the crowded hall. The large room was decorated for a retirement party, and when Erza saw the enormous blue banner tacked to the wall behind the waiting buffet tables her heart plummeted like a rock into her stomach.

 _Happy Retirement, Commander Lahar!_

Suddenly everywhere she looked the obvious screamed at her. These people were all Magnolia police officers and family! The retiree was a Commander and that meant the possibility of Jellal being in this very room was damn near one-hundred percent.

"Lucy!" She hissed as they unloaded trays of cookies. "Why didn't you tell me this was a law enforcement event?"

"Does it matter? And it's on the order form, Erza. You've looked at the damn thing at least three times since Levy handed it over. What's the big deal? I'm gonna go get the rest of the stuff from the van." Lucy disappeared into the crowd leaving her alone at the food tables.

Erza started to sweat _. It's fine. Magnolia is huge. He can't possibly know every officer or be invited to every event. He's probably not even here. It's fine… Oh, god, I should've at least done something about my hair before leaving the van!_

A tugging on the edge of her shirt brought her from her thoughts. Erza turned to face the small girl smiling brightly at her.

"Hi!"

"Eh, hi." Erza glanced around for a parent looking for their child, and then back at the little girl. "Want a cookie?" She kneeled down to the girl's level and held one out for her.

"Your friend gave me one already! Thank you for bringing them!" She reached out to touch a stray wisp of Erza's red hair. "Your hair is really pretty."

"Thank you! I think your hair is pretty too. Pink is a great color."

"I like pink! It's my favorite. My aunt says I should try new things, but I don't care."

"Branching out is okay, but sometimes you just like what you like and that's okay too." Erza's eyes surveyed the crowd behind the girl. "Do you think your mom or dad is looking for you?"

"Probably my dad. My mom is-"

" _Meredy!_ " A frantic male voice from behind her interrupted them, and the little girl's face lit up.

" _Daddy!_ There you are! Did you get lost?"

"Meredy, that's not how this works. _You_ wandering off doesn't make _me_ lost." Erza stood, and turned to face the girl's father and her mouth fell open. She found herself completely unable to speak. The man appeared to be just as dumbfounded. " _Erza?"_

"Jellal, I… wow. This is…" She trailed off and self-consciously brushed the strand of hair Meredy had grabbed behind her ear.

"Jellal, did you find her?" A dark haired woman appeared by his side. She noticed Erza and smirked. Meredy took the woman's hand and began to twirl in a half circle. "Come on, cupcake; let's go get something to drink." The pair disappeared before Jellal could protest. His eyes hadn't left Erza since he'd recognized her.

"Uh, Ultear, she-" He finally looked toward the other woman and seemed perplexed that his daughter had already been whisked away. When he turned back to Erza she couldn't stop the fierce blush that crept up her neck and face. "That was my sister. I'm sorry I'm being incredibly rude, can we talk?" He seemed to suddenly realize they were in a crowded room. "Maybe outside?"

"Um, yeah. Outside is good." Erza allowed him to lead the way to a set of side doors, and tried not to melt into the floor when his hand grazed the small of her back.

"So… this is unexpected." His voice was deep and soothing. She didn't even try to deny that she loved it.

"I had no idea what was going on here until I walked in the door. Lucy swears everything was on the order form, but I've been so spacy lately." Erza knew she was babbling but Jellal only grinned.

"I can't say it's a bad surprise, Erza."

"It's not a disappointment to see me this way? Sweating and smelling of cookie dough?" He took a small step closer to her, and she wished he was both closer and further away. The situation felt surreal. "I'd hoped that when we met in person it would be a little more-"

"Life is just a bunch of unexpected things all jumbled together. I'm glad we met this way. Now I don't have to keep shuffling my feet awkwardly about asking you out in chat." He stuffed his hands in his pockets. "I mean, if that's what you even want?"

"It is." She blurted. "I mean, yes. That's what I want. What I'd _like_ , I mean." Erza leaned against the wall of the building and all her breath rushed out in an odd combination of a laugh and sigh. "I'd like that."

"Do I make you nervous?"

"Not in a bad way. I'm-" She paused and finally smiled. "Relieved? I was worried that you'd be disappointed when we met in person."

"I am a _little_ disappointed."

Erza raised an eyebrow.

"But only because my daughter got to meet you first. I should've known she'd seek out the source of the cookies. You'd better watch out because now she'll think you can produce sweet things on demand."

"I suppose that's not the worst thing she could think of me."

"Can I take you out this weekend? I'd really love to spend some time together that's not virtual or when you're working." The way the apples of his cheeks turned pink at the request made her smile.

"I don't have any plans on Friday… or all weekend really." Erza bit her lip. She'd just admitted to have no real social life at all. "I don't always not have plans. Sometimes I do… have plans." She sighed heavily. "Can you tell I babble a lot when I'm flustered?"

Jellal stepped into her personal space, destroying her ability to breathe or think at all, and his hand touched her elbow just before he leaned in close to her ear. "I could listen to you babble all day, Erza."

The way her name fell from his lips made her skin feel electric. She turned her head and found him irresistibly close. Would it be so bad to kiss him before they'd even been on a real date? His lips twitched into a tiny grin and Erza thought she felt him move even closer. His hand slid from her elbow to lace his fingers with hers. There was no way he couldn't hear her heart pounding. She opened her mouth to whisper her consent and…

"Erza! There you a-" Lucy burst out of the side door, and stumbled over her words. "Oh. Oh, I didn't… I-"

Jellal jumped back and seemed to snap out of the same trance-like state Erza had been in only a split-second before. It took her a moment longer to recover. The sudden loss of his closeness jarred her.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't realize-" Lucy was still stammering.

"Uh, no, it's fine. I should… go…" Jellal stepped around Lucy and grabbed the door by the top edge.

"Wait!" Erza called suddenly remembering he didn't even have her phone number. "Uh, here." She pulled a business card from her back pocket and handed it to him. "My mobile number is on here. So you can, uh, call me? On the phone?"

Jellal smiled brightly and slid the card into his own pocket. "I will definitely do that. Today." He paused. "Tonight, I mean."

"Okay. Tonight."

Lucy moved out of his way and next to Erza. There was a curl to her friend's grin that meant she'd be answering _many_ questions on the ride back to the bakery. When Jellal disappeared inside the building Lucy squealed and tugged on her arm excitedly as they walked around the building and back to the van.

" _Erza!_ Who on earth was that?"

"Good grief, Lucy, get ahold of yourself." Her voice was surprisingly steady for all the wobbliness she felt inside. "He's just a guy I met."

"Oh, no. _No, no, no._ That's a chicken shit answer if I ever heard one. He's not _just_ a guy. I've met dudes you've dated before and unless you have some secret life I don't know about, Erza Scarlet does _not_ get that close to a man's face unless she really likes him." Lucy climbed into the van. "Spill it! Is he the reason you've been in such a good mood lately?"

Erza sighed and pointed the AC vent at her burning face. There was no keeping her activities under wraps now. Lucy had caught her with her hand in the cookie jar and the woman was like a bulldog. She would not let it go until satisfied.

"I didn't just meet him. We've been talking for a few weeks now."

"So he's a police officer? Is that why you freaked out about the event?"

"Yeah."

"Why, though? If you've been talking for a while, why the upset?"

"Because –" Erza took a deep breath. She'd dug her way into a hole and there was no getting out of admitting that Mirajane had pressured her into joining Spark. "Because we haven't ever met in person before today. I've only ever chatted with him online."

"Like twitter?"

"No… on Spark."

Lucy's eyebrows flew up. "You mean the dating app?" Her friend stared at her for a long minute. "Did Mira put you up to that? Because I can't imagine you deciding to do that on your own."

"Is it horrible?"

"Erza -" Lucy smiled and patted her arm. "It's not horrible at all. I think it's great you found someone you like. He seemed really into you, too. Is he the only guy you talked to on there?"

"Yes, but he's not the only guy who ever messaged me. You wouldn't believe the number of crazies out there. This one person told me he wanted to warm his batter in my oven."

Lucy doubled over in her seat laughing. "That is the worst pickup line in the history of pickup lines! Was he serious?"

"Oh, _very_ serious. He still messages me at least once every three days."

"Well, I'm sure now that you and Hottie Cop have met in person, you can delete the app," Lucy winked suggestively as Erza pulled into the alley behind the bakery.

"His name is Jellal and please don't call him Hottie Cop."

Lucy only laughed and left her alone in the cab of the van. She would have to wait for Jellal to contact her since they hadn't had the presence of mind to fully exchange numbers, and she refused to message him on Spark again. It would feel like a step backwards.

As she walked into the back kitchen of the bakery her phone chimed from her pocket. A text message from a new number.

 _Hey, it's Jellal. I'm really happy we got a chance to meet today even if it was just for a few minutes. I'll call you tonight if that's still okay?_

Erza smiled widely and typed out:

 _I look forward to it._


	6. Chapter 6

Erza decided that Jellal's hand around hers was the best feeling. His hands weren't soft and he had a callous that she assumed came from the use of a firearm, but he was warm and sometimes squeezed her hand for emphasis during conversation. It felt like a special layer of their interaction that he reserved just for her, and she loved it.

He'd taken her to the Music in the Park festival in South Gate Park for their first date, and it had been hard to resist the romance in the air. After the sunset, strings of twinkling lights flickered to life dappling the trees with a magical glow. The performance was spent leaning into Jellal's side and positively basking in the feel of his body against hers. At some point he'd brushed his lips against her ear and whispered that he thought her more beautiful than the music. Erza blushed and it took all her willpower not to swiftly turn her head and kiss him.

They walked through the lamp lit streets of Magnolia back toward her apartment where his car was parked. He kept hold of her hand and they spoke back and forth easily about the festival, and everything and nothing at the same time. Erza told him of her silly way of collecting different varieties of socks, and Jellal admitted to a love of astronomy. He promised to take her to the rocky hills on the edge of the city and show her the different constellations without the trees and buildings interfering.

"I had a great time tonight, Jellal, thank you for bringing me." Erza said softly when they reached the set of stairs leading into her apartment building.

"It was my pleasure, Erza. I'm a little surprised you live so close to the city center and haven't been before." He smiled down at her and she could not stop herself from stepping closer to him. The way his fingers brushed over hers drew her in.

"Well, you know, I'm always so wrapped up in work and I've never really…" She trailed off and glanced down at their hands. It wouldn't do to mention that she hadn't ever had anyone worth going with. "I'm glad I got to experience it with you."

"When can I see you again?" His eyes implored her and a blush crept onto her cheeks. "Tomorrow? Sunday? Meredy will be with my sister on the coast this weekend and I know you're exhausted during the week."

"Won't you get tired of spending so much time with me?" Jellal brought her hand to his chest and she could feel his heart racing.

"Are you kidding? You're all I think about, Erza. I'd be alarmed except…" He leaned down and pressed his forehead against hers. "I think maybe you feel it too."

She licked her lips and whispered, "Tomorrow then. I usually make it home around six or so. Fair warning, though, Saturdays are incredibly busy and I'll probably not be up for much of an outing."

"We can stay in, then."

"Okay." Her eyes didn't stray from his mouth. She wanted him to stop talking and kiss her.

"I'll let you get to bed, then. Call me tomorrow when you get home."

"Okay."

"Erza, I –"

Without thinking further about it, she closed her eyes and suddenly pressed her lips against his. Her hands slid over his chest and around his neck. Jellal didn't take more than two seconds to snap out of his surprise and return her kiss. Erza shivered at the feel of his fingers sliding through her hair, and the eventual settling of his hands on her waist. When he pulled away, a sound of discontent escaped her throat. He smiled and she could see his face was as red as hers felt.

"Did you think I was going to leave without a goodnight kiss?" he whispered.

"Well, the thought crossed my mind and I couldn't let that happen." Erza bit her lip and looked up at him. "Was it okay?"

Jellal surprised her by chuckling and kissed her softly once more. "I think it's safe to say I liked it." She hid her face in his chest and tried to quell the urge to grin like a ridiculously smitten idiot. "I should go, though. It's late and Meredy will drag me out of bed at daybreak to help her pack for the beach."

"Alright. I'll call you when I'm cleaned up after work."

"Goodnight, Erza," he said quietly before leaving her on the steps. Erza watched him go, then practically floated up to her apartment. When she was finally alone in her bedroom she threw herself on her bed and sighed dreamily. She could still feel him tingling on her lips and it was wonderful.

Erza stripped off her clothes and grabbed her phone from the bedside table. She'd opted to leave it behind during her date and it looked like both Lucy and Mirajane were making demands in the form of text messages. They wanted to know how things had gone – especially Mira. It didn't look like she'd be able to escape either of them as Lucy had started a group chat.

 _Lucy: Erza! Details!_

 _Mirajane: WELL?_

 _Lucy: Maybe she's not back yet._

 _Mirajane: Maaaybe they're naked LOL_

 _Lucy: Nah, I bet Erza holds out for at least a couple of weeks._

 _Mirajane: Idk she really likes him and it's not like they haven't been chatting for a while!_

 _Lucy: Still though she's not a first date kinda girl._

 _Mirajane: True but can you blame me for hoping?_

 _Erza: Guys! I can see all these messages you know!_

 _Lucy: You made us wait. So get on with it! How did it go?_

 _Mirajane: I guess this means you didn't get him naked?_

 _Erza: No one is naked! I'm home and I'm alone._

 _Mirajane: Killjoy._

 _Lucy: So what happened?_

 _Erza: It was alright. He walked me home and we're going to see each other tomorrow after work._

 _Lucy: Wow on a Saturday! It must be love. Usually by Saturday you're ready to retire to a cave in the hills._

 _Erza: I'm not THAT bad, am I?_

 _Mirajane: Get to the good stuff! Did he kiss you? At least? Was he any good?_

 _Erza: I had to kiss him. He was talking too much! All night I couldn't think about anything else._

 _Mirajane: You haven't said if he was good or not. I need details._

 _Lucy: Natsu took me to Music in the Park last year and it was incredible._

 _Mirajane: … wow. I didn't know Natsu had a romantic bone in his body. I'm impressed._

 _Lucy: He makes an effort at least twice a year._

 _Erza: Can we cut this short? I need to sleep. I still have to work tomorrow._

 _Mirajane: No!_

 _Lucy: Aww! Boo!_

 _Mirajane: Can the boy kiss or not. Has this whole thing been worth it? Is this your 'positive experience'?_

 _Erza: Yeah he's good with the kissing._

 _Lucy: Are you going to keep your Spark profile?_

Erza leaned back against her pillows and ran through the evening once more. She smiled and picked up her phone again.

 _Erza: I think it's safe to say Spark can go. He's a keeper._

 _Mirajane: I win! And you're welcome._


	7. Chapter 7

_**Author's Note: This is where the story ends. The following chapter is an outtake. Thanks for reading!**_

* * *

The month of March was a rainy season for Magnolia. The warmer early spring storms came in from the ocean only to clash with the wintry air that still rolled off the mountains and created a deluge every year. Erza never minded the rain, even if her hair disagreed.

She hadn't even waited out the following week after her first date with Jellal before deleting Spark, and she didn't regret the decision. That holiday season Erza took special care to see that Mirajane felt extra appreciated. Ultear had been overheard grumbling that her brother owed her a similar gift, but he'd refused to explain what his sister meant. Though she kept her own apartment there were several nights a week Erza spent at Jellal's house.

Meredy had taken to her presence quickly and Jellal explained that her mother had died when she was still very small and it was unlikely she remembered the woman at all. When asked if the little girl's clinginess made her uncomfortable, Erza kissed her boyfriend's nose and told him she hadn't ever felt more like she belonged in a family since her own parents died. He'd hugged her fiercely, she admitted she loved him. It wasn't as hard to say so as she'd originally thought.

* * *

Jellal's daughter stood on a step stool next to her and messily squirted icing all over the rows of cupcake tops. She smiled up at Erza and licked the pink stuff off her fingers.

"Are they pretty?"

"They're gorgeous! Do you want any other colors? We can have whichever ones you want."

"Nah, I like pink." Meredy scooped the extra icing from the tray with a spoon. "I'm so excited to be five, Erza! It's gonna be great!"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think daddy will let me drive now?" Erza couldn't hold back her laughter.

"Sweetie, I think you're still a little young for that. _But,_ I bet if you ask him nicely he'll take the training wheels off your bike for you." Suddenly Meredy jumped from the stool and bolted from the kitchen.

"I'll be right back, Erza!"

She stared after the girl in confusion, and then helped herself to a spoonful of icing. Meredy had insisted on decorating her own cupcakes for her party the next day and it was a bit of a disaster. Erza had already set in motion an order for a set of cupcakes decorated by Levy just in case the pink blobs didn't work out.

"I got you a present!" Meredy appeared at her side again and thrust a construction paper card at her.

"Oh, sweetheart, you didn't have to make _me_ a present on _your_ birthday!" Erza wiped her hands on her apron and leaned down to kiss the top of her head.

"Well -" Meredy fidgeted. "I just thought you should know how much I love you here."

Erza opened the card and felt her eyes sting and throat close up. "Meredy, this is –" Inside the card was a drawing of herself – complete with a mane of bright red hair – and Jellal with Meredy in the middle. "This is so amazing. Thank you." She could only whisper as she brought the girl into a hug that Meredy eagerly returned.

"You make me and daddy happy and I don't want you to ever go." Erza didn't know what to say to that. She was incredibly touched by this child's thoughtfulness. Meredy sighed loudly and pulled away. "It's not as neat as what my dad got you, but I wanted you to know my heart."

Erza leaned down to Meredy's level. "I think you and your dad misunderstand how birthdays work."

"You'll like it, Erza. It's sparkly. I don't think I was supposed to see it, but I needed socks for puppets and it was just hanging out there. Who hides sparklies in their sock drawer?" Meredy chattered on and on while Erza stood frozen her hand poised to scoop more icing into the pastry bag. _A sparkly?_

* * *

She moved into Jellal's house that May and found the sudden change of having people around her at all hours to be less anxiety-inducing than anticipated. Erza didn't miss the lonely hours spent in her bed with no one to talk to and both eating and drinking alone. Now she had dinner with Jellal and Meredy every night, and their presence filled every gap inside of her.

There were nights when he was stuck at his station until late hours, and the responsibility of taking care of Meredy brought uncertainty at first. The little girl was incredibly sensitive to people around her, though, and together they worked out a schedule. It wasn't uncommon for Erza to fall asleep hanging off the edge of Meredy's bed or for Erza to keep her close in the bed she shared with Jellal. Neither wanted to be alone. Jellal never said anything about it; he only carried his daughter to her own room when he came home or gently woke Erza from her precarious positions on the single princess bed.

It was late July when Meredy flippantly called her _mom_ during dinner. Erza sat in shock with her fork halfway to her mouth and stared wide-eyed at Jellal. He reacted with only a tiny smile and encouraged his daughter to continue her story.

* * *

He finally asked her to marry him on a sunny afternoon in August. Erza hadn't ever said that she had a serious weakness for his uniform, but she'd been reluctant to ask him to remove it enough times that Jellal caught on. When he wanted something it was common for him to show up at her bakery to take her to lunch, and it would usually be on a day when he wore the darker blue button up shirt.

Erza never checked the sock drawer to find the sparkly Meredy had mentioned, and instead opted to let Jellal work out his plan in his own time. He fumbled the proposal a bit, and dropped the ring box twice before getting his words out.

"We've been together for a year now, Erza, and I can't imagine my life without you in it." He managed to pop the box open and revealed the infamous, but secret, resident of his sock drawer. "Marry me?"

"Well," Erza bit her lip and tried not to smile. "Meredy was right. It's certainly sparkly."

 _"What?"_ He blinked. "I don't know why I'm surprised. I'm terrible at hiding things. How long have you known?"

"Oh, since her birthday. She didn't do it on purpose and she may not even remember telling me." Erza finally smiled and leaned in to kiss him. "Of course, I'll marry you. I knew you'd get around to asking eventually."

Jellal pulled her close and kissed her neck. "I'm always the last one at the party."

"You better not be late for our wedding. If you think Ultear was bad…" She winked at him and took the ring box from his hand.

"I wouldn't dream of it. I'm surrounded by women who'd probably eat me alive if I showed up even a second late."

"No one will be eating anything but cake on that day. I'm making a rule."

"Whatever you want, Erza." He pulled the ring from its velvet slot and slid it onto her finger.

The moment she walked through the kitchen doors at the bakery, Lucy noticed the difference.

* * *

The following January, Erza was late. Not just a _little_ late, but a _lot_ late. She didn't tell Jellal for a week. She needed to be _sure_. Meredy insisted that she'd always wanted a sister and never considered the baby to be anything other than a girl.

* * *

They named her Wendy, and she had a tuft of hair on her head that matched her father's. Erza watched him holding the child they'd created together and decided that swiping right was the best thing she'd ever done.


	8. Chapter 8

Jellal slid from the driver's seat of his department issued car late on a Sunday night and attempted to stretch. His back screamed in protest and he lamented not taking his own vehicle to the convention instead of the city's. A four hour drive at the end of a day that had already been long was bad enough, but the padding on the seats of this particular car was an embarrassment to the force, in his opinion. As he trudged up his front walk and into the house he pulled his phone from his pocket.

 _Jellal: I'm home._

 _Erza: Wow! A day early! How did you manage that?_

 _Jellal: An unfortunate driving experience. Come over?_

 _Erza: Are you sure you don't just want to go to bed? I won't be in the way?_

 _Jellal: Never. Meredy has been at Ultear's all week and no one was expecting me home until tomorrow. Please?_

 _Erza: I'll be there in twenty. Try to stay awake ;)_

He tossed the phone to the bed and stripped his clothes off to try and shower away the back pain, and remnants of road travel. Law enforcement conventions were held annually and as a Lieutenant it was expected of him to be present. They were long and boring and the coffee was always an inhospitable sludge.

At least now he had someone to come home to besides a sleepy daughter who couldn't be expected to listen to his griping or understand any of his complaints. Not that he planned on spending his night with Erza whining about his job. He'd missed an important milestone while he'd been away and Jellal intended to make up for it.

A week after he and Erza started dating, they'd agreed to put off sex for two months. Being with her was an intense head rush and it was easy to get swept away, but he didn't want their relationship to be based on surging lust. He enjoyed her company and they decided a two month waiting period – just to make sure they could stand one another fully clothed and sober – would be in order. The two month marker had come and gone on Friday.

Her knock on the front door sent a prickle of anticipation down his spine. She greeted him with a tight hug and he inhaled the scent of her hair. Damn, he loved her hair. He especially loved when she tied it up in a knot and absently twirled wisps around her fingers as she attempted to concentrate on something. His sister teased him relentlessly at the hard way he'd fallen for Erza, but Jellal knew she wouldn't bother to say anything at all if she wasn't happy he'd met someone.

"I missed you," she whispered against his lips.

"I missed you, too. Longest week in recent history."

"Let's get you to bed. You look like you're about to crash where you stand." She tugged on his hand and he followed her to his bedroom. He waited as she changed into a t-shirt he recognized as his. He didn't mind the theft, and honestly didn't think he would ever feel the same way about the Magnolia PD gym shirts again. "Did you know," Erza began with a grin. "That I took a course in massage therapy in college?"

"I didn't."

"Roll over and I'll rub your back for you. If you go to sleep tensed up like that you'll be so much worse in the morning."

Jellal stretched across his bed and felt Erza crawl over him and straddle his hips. Her warm fingers expertly worked the muscles in his lower back and there was no stopping the groan from escaping his throat. She laughed softly at his responses.

"Does that feel alright? Let me know if I'm hurting you."

"No, this is pretty much the best thing ever. You've got strong hands."

"Yeah, well, I also started out kneading a lot of dough by hand."

He sighed loudly but tensed a little when she scooted up and on to the bare portion of his back. The lace of her panties, and the way her thighs spread over him caused a new sort of tension.

"Erza," he murmured.

"Hm?" She didn't stop her movements. Jellal reached behind him and wrapped his arm around her waist to bring her down to the bed.

"I think that's enough of that."

"Did I hurt you?" He smiled and brushed wayward strands of hair from her face.

"No. My back feels great." Erza wrapped her arms around his neck. "Did you know Friday was an important day?"

"A _very_ important day that you _missed_ , Lieutenant Fernandes." She grinned up at him and dragged her leg up and around his hip. "I hope you have a compensation plan." Jellal squeezed her waist through the fabric of her _(his)_ shirt.

"Oh, I do. I could go over the specifics with you or…"

"I'd rather you just show me," she whispered before he took her lips in a kiss. Jellal pressed his body against hers and slid his hand beneath the shirt. Her thigh and stomach were firmer than he'd imagined, but her skin was incredibly soft. When he grazed the underside of her breast, Erza gasped and he smiled. His fingertips traced over the mound of flesh and she tugged on the hair at the nape of his neck when his palm settled over her hardening nipple.

Erza surprised him by pushing him back into a sitting position and pulling the t-shirt over her head. She straddled him once again, though this time in front instead of behind, and kissed him forcefully. His hands roamed over her back and when they found her breasts again Erza arched into him and sighed. Jellal broke away from her mouth and moved to her neck. She shuddered and whimpered as his tongue flicked out to taste her.

"Go easy on me, okay? It's been a while," she breathed. Erza grabbed his hand and pushed it to where he expected the waistband of her panties to be. Instead he found a ribbon knotted into an enticing bow. He tugged on the ribbon and slid his hand between her legs.

"We'll have a warm up first, how's that?" She squirmed against him and he could feel the muscles in her thighs quiver as his fingers grazed over and through her wet folds before slipping inside. Jellal secured her against his chest and watched her eyes flutter closed and her teeth sink into her bottom lip. Her hands clutched at his shoulder and tangled in his hair. The tension broke across her features when he curled his fingers _up_ and _forward_ and pressed the heel of his hand against the very center of her desire.

Erza smiled at him when she regained her breath and he kissed each of her flushed cheeks before taking her mouth. She let him lay her back down on the bed and settled herself beneath him.

"You are _very_ good with those fingers," she mumbled as she pushed his shorts over his hips and hooked her legs around his middle. Jellal groaned against her lips when he felt her hand close around his erection and stroke him steadily.

"Erza," he panted. "It's been a while for me, too. You'll kill me before I ever get inside if you keep doing that."

"Death by hand-job isn't something I want to explain to your fellow officers." She rubbed the tip of him over the length of her wetness before positioning him at the entrance. Jellal slowly pushed into her and his head dropped onto her shoulder. She was warm and soft and despite being a grown man – and _not_ a virgin – the pressure surrounding him was nearly enough to send him over the edge. It would be a very poor showing to last less than a minute the first time they were together.

Jellal pulled all the way out of her and swiftly thrust back inside. The sounds she made as she pulled her legs higher around his waist were absolutely sinful. He didn't want to just pound away at her but _god_ it was so hard not to.

"I know I said to be gentle but I won't break in half, Jellal. You can –" He picked up a quicker rhythm and Erza broke off mid-sentence. She twisted her hips and found a place that elicited the most beautiful gasp he'd ever heard from the mouth of anyone. He slid his hand down to grip her thigh to hold her in the exact position and the way she trembled uncontrollably was a clear signal that she was speeding towards the edge of a cliff.

He honestly tried to hold out but when Erza reached between them to help herself along he lost his oh-so-fragile control. The second he felt her clench wildly around him he let go and spilled into her. She was breathing heavily and one hand was still clutching a handful of his hair.

"That was –"

"Incredible?" Jellal offered.

"Yeah," Erza sighed and her arms fell onto the mattress. He winced as he pulled out of her and tried to lower himself to the space beside her without betraying the stiffness that had returned to his back. "Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine."

"Liar. Did your back flare up again?" He grimaced sheepishly at her. "The sex could've waited, you know."

"I don't think it could've." Erza leaned forward and kissed him softly.

"Come on, then, back into the shower with you. I can't have the guilt of ruining all my work earlier eating away at me." She pulled him out of bed and he couldn't help but notice how absolutely perfect her ass was from behind. He chastised himself mentally with a reminder that he didn't have to sample the whole dish in one night. Erza could be unwrapped slowly.

At the moment, though, she directed him under the hot spray and positioned herself behind him. He leaned against the tile and let her work some kind of magic with her hands.

"I think you're probably better with your hands than I am," he murmured.

"That's a pretty high compliment considering what you just did to me in your bed." When he felt like he could move again without punishment, Jellal turned and pulled her into an embrace. "Feeling better?"

"Oh, yeah." He kissed her and his lands traveled down her backside to the perfect swells he'd admired on the way into the bathroom. "You're amazing, Erza."

"And you're delirious with fatigue, sex, and all this steam," she teased.

"I'm not… well I _am_ all those things, but you're still amazing." He wanted to use a word much different than _amazing_. One much stronger and more significant, but it was far too soon to throw around words like that. He'd save that one for later.

He settled on the bed still feeling stiff, but in a whole lot less pain than before Erza forced him into the shower. She crawled under the sheet next to him and kissed his chest.

"Better?"

"Much. Thank you," he whispered into her damp hair. She yawned and wrapped one arm around him before nodding off. Jellal lay awake for a few minutes more contemplating his incredible stroke of luck in finding this woman. Out of all the people in Magnolia he'd managed to connect with her and be turned completely upside down. Maybe he would get even more lucky and she'd make him something flakey and chocolatey for breakfast.

"Go to sleep," she sighed. Jellal chuckled and kissed her forehead. He wasn't ready to scare her off with a declaration of love out loud, but he was pretty sure that's what he felt. He wondered how long he'd have to wait before he could have her beside him every night. Would it be too much of a giveaway to ask how much longer she had on her lease? Probably.


End file.
